Hagerstown high school students share how they will spend their time off

Hagerstown high school students share how they will spend their time off

How many times have your parents said: "You kids have it so easy. These are the best days of your life. Make the most of them. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Blah, blah, blah ..."

The high school time of your life can indeed be among the best of times, but even if you're a whiz in math, days and nights filled with schoolwork, homework, extracurricular activities and part-time jobs can wear you down.

You deserve a break. Yes, you do.

You've got it.

Area schools are taking a winter break. Washington County schools' started yesterday, and classes won't be in session until next year.

Advertisement

Ha!

Remember when you were little and thought that was really funny?

Oh, well.

A few South Hagerstown High School students recently talked about their break plans.

To a person, a smile was part of the answer to the question "How are you going to spend your time off?"

Here's what else they had to say:

Sixteen-year-old Jamie Boden is looking forward to spending Christmas with her family in Hagerstown. She hopes to get her driver's license, but her break will not be all fun and games. Jamie, a junior, has to work on an AP biology research paper. She also plans to start looking for a job and - not fun - on Friday, Dec. 27 she's getting her wisdom teeth pulled.

One more thing: "I will be sleeping a whole lot."

Brittany Logsdon, 17, is a senior who's already received her acceptance to Liberty University, so that's not hanging over her head during winter break.

She'll spend some time working on a paper about Bernard Malamud's "The Fixer," and she'll be spending time with "everybody" in her family in Silver Spring, Md.

"I'll be praising the reason for the season," Brittany says, attending services and singing the cantata at First Baptist Church of Sharpsburg.

Brittany also will be catching up on some sleep. "Definitely," she says.

Matt Miller, a 17-year-old senior, says he's kind of looking forward to his break, but he's "got a lot of stuff to do." He'll be working at his part-time job trying to make some extra money and there will be schoolwork to be done.

On his list is a project for his music theory class. He's writing something he calls "Suite For a Hot Band." A percussionist, Matt plays drums in South High's marching band and is a member of the wind ensemble and a jazz combo at school.

He'll have a chance to see his girlfriend, who will be home for the holidays, and he's looking forward to Christmas Eve dinner. "I haven't been able to see my family much."

Is Ryan Zimmerman looking forward to his winter break?

"Yeah," the 15-year-old sophomore grins.

What's up for Ryan?

The holidays will bring a family dinner at his uncle's house and visiting his dad's family in West Virginia.

He has some shopping and a chemistry project to finish.

Although the high-school football season is over, Ryan will continue to work out and lift weights. He plans to try out for lacrosse in the spring.

"Yeah" and a smile also are Scott Powell response to the question "Are you looking forward to your winter break?"

Seeing family is part of what he's anticipating, and the 16-year-old junior will work on an AP biology paper. He'll continue his part-time job as a monitor and in the concession stand at Hagerstown Ice & Sports Complex. He was slated to perform in the Holiday Ice Show last Saturday.

Plans fell through to go to New York to skate in the ice rink at Rockefeller Plaza, so he'll head up to the roller rink in Greencastle, Pa.

Anything else?

"Sleep," he smiles.

"I'm so happy," says Elizabeth Hill, 15, a South High sophomore. She has no school projects to work on over break.

She'll continue working at her part-time job at Roy Rogers and she'll have basketball practice for an hour and a half to two hours almost every day.

Her family cooks Christmas dinner together. "We open gifts and stuff."

Elizabeth is looking forward to spending time with her family. "Just relaxing," she says.

The thought of a break over the holidays also brings a smile to Lindsay Steiner, 14, a freshman.

"I have a big family," she says. Many members live out of town, so she was looking forward to seeing everyone at her uncle's for a family dinner on Dec. 22. Her family will attend the midnight service at St. Mark's Lutheran Church on Christmas Eve.

Lindsay also is happy about a visit from a friend who moved to North Carolina.

Despite a take-home test on Charles Dickens' "Great Expectations," Lindsay plans to get a whole lot more sleep during break.